. >> reporter: near houston a tornado destroyed some buildings and tore down power lines. francis lowe and her husband couldn't get away in time. >> we tried to leave at first and couldn't because the truck was off the ground. it wouldn't go. then finally it touched the ground and we took off. >> reporter: and damage from a tornado in pearl river, mississippi, stretched a mile wide and 8 people were taken to the hospital. ted williams' family was home celebrating christmas when the twister hit. >> hunkered down in the laundry room. >> reporter: further north, snow and ice covered oklahoma roads. >> i have chains on probably the only one, driving around going 5 miles an hour. >> reporter: the storm is picking up steam as it heads to arkansas and into the midwest. >> within those warning areas, blizzard conditions are expected over the next 24 hours or so. >> reporter: tomorrow, there could be up to a foot of snow in many parts of new england. edward lawrence for cbs news, washington. >> airlines have already canceled 5,000 flights this week because of the weather. even more